Optecks, LLC

Solution Description & Supported Functionality

The DLP-based spectrometer system consists of a DLP-based spectrometer, a set of electronic boards that control the spectrometer, and two interchangeable modules for interrogating samples. The NIRscan Nano EVM and reflectance module are produced by TI. The reflectance module interrogates a sample by illuminating the sample with infrared light and delivering the reflected light to the spectrometer. The transmission module includes a sample holder for materials under investigation. Light from the on-board source passes through the sample, after which a telecentric optical system collects and conditions the light for efficient coupling to the spectrometer. Both modules operate over the 900 – 1700 nm range. The reflectance module provides a 6,000:1 signal to noise ratio (SNR). The transmission module provides a 12,000:1 SNR – a higher SNR than any module available - due to custom electronic and optical designs. Both modules receive power and control signals from the spectrometer’s electronic boards. The spectrometer provides flexibility in wavelength selection, resolution, and scanning parameters, allowing the user to tailor the system to the needs of a particular application.

Benefits

• Only miniature spectrometer system capable of both transmission and reflectance spectrometry at high resolution.
• Optical design of modules and spectrometer maximize optical throughput and minimize stray light, greatly improving SNR and allowing measurement of weaker phenomena.
• Easy interchangeability of modules that requires no special tools or alignment procedures, making transition between operating modes simple and quick.
• Flexibility of DLP-based interrogation allows development of custom scanning protocols optimized to the scanning application of interest.

The primary trade-off consists of the difference in SNR between the two interrogation modules. The reflectance module achieves 5000:1 SNR only under ideal conditions (highly reflective surface) and works best for solid samples. For liquids, the losses from scattering, absorption and low reflectivity greatly reduce the SNR achieved. The transmission module SNR remains high even for these liquid samples. The design provides a compact, portable, flexible, cost-effective spectroscopy solution at resolutions of 1 nm – 10 nm, compared to high-end spectrometers with sub-nanometer resolution.

Development Tools

The solution requires software to program the on-board microprocessor that controls scanning and data collection functions. Software specifically designed to program and manage DLPs is highly recommended. Suitable software is freely available on the Texas Instruments web site.

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